Prep football: Birir, Viscardi lead Tam to victory

Running back Marcus Viscardi beats a Trojan defender late in the second quarter of Tam's 24-13 win over Petaluma Friday night at Petaluma High School. Viscardi finished with 104 yards rushing on 15 carries. (Photo by Matt Hanlon)

PETALUMA — Tam coach Jon Black wanted his team to establish its running game after a less than stellar offensive showing in last week's home-opening win to St. Patrick-St. Vincent.

And run they did. Aseal Birir ran for 130 yards on 24 carries and Marcus Viscardi rushed for 104 yards on 15 carries, carrying the Red-tailed Hawks to a 24-13 non-league win over host Petaluma on Friday night.

"It was definitely my (offensive) line, I just did what I could," said Birir, of his offensive performance. "It was great, we didn't give up. We worked hard this week and it showed."

At one point Tam trailed 13-3 in the first half. Petaluma's defense stopped Tam (2-0) twice inside the 10-yard line, holding the Red-tailed Hawks to just a field goal in the first quarter.

With a minute remaining in the first half, Tam found itself yet again deep in Petaluma territory. After a failed run attempt, Black called a timeout, his second in as many plays, and gathered his team together.

"Sometimes guys just have trouble reaching the end zone," he said. "I basically told them they deserved to be in the end zone after all their hard work this summer."

It worked, as quarterback Alexander Gant Van Vliet found a leaping Haynes Stephens in the corner of the end zone to bring the Red-Tailed Hawks within three at halftime.

The Red-tailed Hawks eventually overcame the deficit, led by Birir on a seven-play, 52-yard drive that gave them a 17-13 lead. Tam never relinquished it, a fact which coach Ron Black attributes to the team's contributions on both sides of the ball.

"We were pretty successful out there, the work of our running backs, Aseal (Birir) and Marcus (Viscardi) was just outstanding," he said. "It was a pretty solid offensive performance and the defense played phenomenal."

Black added that Tam has had trouble defending multi-option style offense in the past. Tam struggled to shut down Petaluma running back Sam Spurling initially, who led the Trojans offense with a first quarter touchdown and a total of 66 yards on 19 carries.

But Tam's defense held Spurling and the rest of Petaluma's three-option offense to just 10 rushing yards in the second half.